Editing Spatial disorientation (section)

{{short description|Inability of a person to correctly determine their body position in space}}
'''Spatial disorientation''' is the inability to determine position or relative motion, commonly occurring during periods of challenging visibility, since [[visual system|vision]] is the dominant sense for orientation. The [[auditory system]], [[vestibular system]] (within the [[inner ear]]), and [[proprioceptive system]] (sensory receptors located in the skin, muscles, tendons and joints) collectively work to coordinate movement with balance, and can also create illusory nonvisual sensations, resulting in spatial disorientation in the absence of strong visual cues.

In aviation, spatial disorientation can result in improper perception of the [[Orientation (geometry)|attitude]] of the aircraft, referring to the orientation of the aircraft relative to the horizon.  If a pilot relies on this improper perception, this can result in inadvertent turning, ascending or descending. For aviators, proper recognition of aircraft attitude is most critical at night or in poor weather, when there is no visible horizon; in these conditions, aviators may determine aircraft attitude by reference to an [[attitude indicator]]. Spatial disorientation can occur in other situations where visibility is reduced, such as diving operations.